Man posted to... Alderney

Guernsey Post is proud to present Man Posted To…, a distinctive stamp issue celebrating an extraordinary true story from Channel Islands postal history. Released on 1 September, the issue features a joint se-tenant stamp pair produced in partnership with Alderney.

The stamps recount the remarkable journey of Major “Peabod” Palmer, the last man to be posted using the postal service. In February 1940, several months prior to the German occupation of the Channel Islands, civilian travel between Guernsey and Alderney had become severely restricted, with most transport requisitioned for military use. Major Palmer found himself stranded in Guernsey for two weeks, unable to secure passage on the Courier ferry service to Alderney.

Determined to return to his family, Major Palmer consulted the Post Office Guide and concluded that there was no explicit prohibition against being sent by post. Acting on this interpretation, he presented himself at Guernsey Post Office and formally requested to travel as a parcel. Although reluctantly accepted, arrangements were made for him to be escorted by a postal worker to the harbour.

Initially, the ferry captain objected on the grounds that Major Palmer was neither cargo nor mail. However, when only two of the twelve booked passengers presented themselves, the captain permitted him to travel, though he was consigned to the hold. Upon arrival in Alderney, Major Palmer was duly taken to the postal sorting office before being formally “delivered” to his home by a local postman.

Blending humour, ingenuity and local heritage, this fascinating story offers a unique insight into the flexibility of postal services in earlier times and the determination of islanders to overcome the challenges of travel.

This imaginative issue continues Guernsey Post’s tradition of bringing unusual and compelling aspects of Channel Islands history to life through philately.

A companion issue produced in partnership with Sark commemorates the equally remarkable story of Harry Turner, who became the first man to be posted in 1905 when he arranged to be conveyed by mail from Guernsey to Sark. Together, the two stamp issues celebrate a unique and little-known chapter in Channel Islands postal history, bookended by the first and last men ever to post themselves between the islands.